The Little Brown Lost Present
by Tatiana Hale
Summary: Draco and Hermione are both in love with each other... but when Hermione doesn't find her most important Christmas present, what happens? Fluffy one-shot,an after Christmas story, R&R please:D


This is my second story, and first one-shot. So please give me lots of feedback! (aka reviews:D)

A/N: I didn't write a fluffy Dramione Christmas one-shot, but I wanted to, so I decided to write a fluffy after-Christmas Dramione one-shot! R&R please!

Please ignore certain parts of HP books: DH epilogue, Draco Killing Dumbledore. Neither happened:D

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter. grrrrrrrr.

...

"Talking"

_Thinking (or a letter or dream)_

...

Three days after Christmas, in a small flat on the outskirts of London, a pretty witch sat up in bed with tears threatening to spill from her bright amber eyes. At first, the witch couldn't remember why she was so upset. Then the events of the past few days came crashing back, and the young woman buried her head deep into her forest green covers with an exhausted groan, hiding from the salmon glow of the early morning sunlight.

_He doesn't care… Draco really doesn't care! _She thought despairingly. _I haven't heard from him since Christmas Eve! I was beginning to love him. I've been so blind!  
_

This distraught young woman was no other than Hermione Granger, member of the golden trio, Order of Merlin first class, the so called brightest witch of her age. Hermione was known for her composure and strength, and yet the same girl now sat in her bed quietly sobbing because a certain dashing blond had abandoned her.

…

On the other side of town, Draco Malfoy sat wrapped in a thick black cloak, watching the blood red light of the same rising sun slowly stain the pale Horizon.

Dark, bruise-like smudges were visible under his striking silvery blue eyes, and his pale complexion was uncharacteristically pasty. He sighed. _Hermione rejected me. She doesn't want me. I should have known, I should never have hoped...  
_

Since the Malfoy family took Dumbledore up on his offer for protection during Draco's sixth year at Hogwarts, a friendship had grown between the blond boy and Hermione. Although The Order was slow to accept Draco as a spy and ally, Hermione did her best to be kind to him. They found they enjoyed spending time with each other, and Draco appreciated Hermione's effort to make him feel welcome. But since the light's victory over Voldemort, Draco had felt stronger, more deeply rooted feelings blossoming in his heart for Hermione… he was sure he loved her. He had been afraid to tell her, afraid to wreck what they had.

_I guess I was right to be afraid. I guess I've lost her. A bright Angel like Hermione deserves someone better than me, someone without a shadowed past._

…

Hermione dragged herself from the warmth of her blankets, and brewed herself a strong cup of black coffee.

_I haven't slept properly in days! If only I knew _why _Draco didn't come on Christmas… or the next day… or the next… and didn't even send a little gift! I still have my present for him... I guess he doesn't want it and doesn't care. This is the first Christmas since Draco joined the Order that we haven't been together!  
_

Hermione curled up on her sofa. She stared ruefully at her glittering, tinsel-encrusted, mockingly merry tree. _Time for that to come down. _

The brooding witch set her mug down decisively, and began demolishing the tree with crisp strokes of her wand.

…

Draco turned away from the sunrise, and shuffled to his flat's kitchenette.

He grabbed the remainders of yesterday's extremely strong (and now extremely cold) black coffee and chugged it down, wincing slightly. _I should stop drinking black coffee. It reminds me of Hermione..._

Draco slumped into a chair, his head in his hands. _You should have known you didn't have a chance with her! _He reprimanded himself. _C'mon Drake. You're the infamous playboy, she can't be the only one out there for you. Go find yourself a pretty witch to shag! _

But Draco knew he was wrong. He couldn't love anyone else like he did Hermione, and he didn't even want to try. He thought back to the small, brown package he'd placed so carefully under Hermione's tree when she wasn't looking, while visiting her on Christmas Eve. _Maybe she took offense to me not asking her in person…_

…

Nothing remained in Hermione's living room but a few neatly packed boxes of ornaments. With a swish and a flick, Hermione levitated the boxes towards her closet. As she walked across the floor, something crunched beneath her slippered feet.

The brunette bent down to see what she'd stepped on. In her hands, she held a slightly smashed square box wrapped in plain brown paper, which camouflaged almost perfectly with her dark beige carpet.

Hermione's heart beat faster as she read the familiarly scrawled label: _To Hermione, From Draco. _

_Merlin, he didn't forget me! But why didn't here come on Christmas to give this to me? Is it a goodbye gift, perhaps? But why would he be saying goodbye anyway?  
_

Tearing off the simple paper, Hermione stared at a velvety black jewelry box. She gently lifted the lid with shaking fingers. A single sparkling diamond embedded in a shining silver band twinkled at her in the morning sunlight. As Hermione tilted the gem back and forth, green and red tones reflected from the stone's depths. _It's so elegant, so beautiful! And red and green... our colors._

She was so enchanted by the ring, she almost missed the small note which floated out of the box, through her fingers, and onto the carpet. Slowly, she bent down and retrieved the scrap of parchment.

_Dearest Hermione, _it read. _We've come so far, from enemies to best friends. But the truth is, while we'll _always _be best friends, I wish we could be more than that, too. I guess this shows why I was put in Slytherin, I was afraid to tell you. I can be such a coward. So I decided to ask you this in writing. You're probably wondering what I'm going to ask you. So I'll get on with it. I know we've never dated, even. We've kept our relationship strictly platonic, and I've been happy with that. But I love you so much. I want you to be mine, forever. Will you marry me, Hermione Granger? Send me an owl if you wish to be my fiancé, give no response if you refuse. Yours Truly, Draco Malfoy._

Hermione re-read the letter four times. _Yes, yes, yes! _Her heart shouted.

With a pop, she disappeared.

…

Draco had drifted into a despairing stupor, unable to sleep thanks to all the coffee.

Suddenly, he was jolted back to reality by a frantic rapping on his chamber door. Dragging himself out of his chair, he shuffled reluctantly to the door. Slowly pulling on the handle, his mouth dropped open as his visitor was revealed.

He found himself face to face with the woman who had haunted his dreams, had caused him so much pain, and yet he still loved.

The couple stared at each other, taking in each others' haggard appearance.

Hermione's hair was wild and uncombed, she wore no makeup, and her eyes were bright and puffy from crying, as well as framed by deep purple-blue shadows from sleepless nights.

Draco's usually sleek and shaggy hair looked like a bad imitation of Harry's wild mop, the bags under his eyes rivaled Hermione's, and his ivory skin now appeared slightly yellow. Sure, he was still incredibly handsome… just not quite as dashing and put together as usual.

But neither Draco nor Hermione cared. For what seemed like an eon, they were lost in each other's eyes as warm golden-brown met icy silver-blue.

Then Draco turned away, shaking his head. _I know she refused. She's probably here to say sorry. I don't want her pity,_ he thought stubbornly. Without a word, he turned swiftly on his heel and walked back into his apartment, leaving Hermione standing nonplussed in the hall.

As the distance between Hermione and Draco grew, both felt identical pain and loneliness.

"Draco!" Hermione cried desperately after his retreating back, her voice cracking. He faced her slowly.

With a few swift, purposeful strides, Hermione had covered the distance between them. Wrapping her willowy arms around Draco's neck, she pulled him toward her.

Time stopped as their lips met. Draco's arms snaked around Hermione's small waist as her hands tangled in his untidy hair. The kiss was gentle and sweet, yet passionate and full of promise.

As suddenly as Hermione had begun the kiss, Draco pulled away. He saw confusion in Hermione's eyes.

He sneered tiredly down at Hermione, a trace of the Malfoy pride visible in his countenance. _Why did she have to do that? It makes this harder for me... much harder._

"There are plenty of gorgeous women out there for me, don't feel bad. No need to apologize for your refusal," he sneered. "Or did you come to rub it in my face? To tease me?"

Understanding seemed to dawn on the witch.

"My answer is yes, Draco," She whispered hoarsely.

For a full minute, all he could do was stare at the Hermione. The morning sunlight streamed through the window and across her face, illuminating her perfect features. _An angel… _He thought. _My angel._

Draco reached out to Hermione, pulling her to him and enveloping her in his strong embrace. She buried her face in his chest, tears welling behind her eyes once more. But this time, they were tears of joy.

The couple clung to each other silently, reveling in the simple feeling of being together. After a few minutes, Draco stood back, clasping Hermione's hands in his own.

"Really, I knew all along you wouldn't be able to resist me," the Slytherin smirked teasingly, but there was no malice in his smooth drawl. "I'd love to hear the story behind your… delayed response. I must say, no answer for so long... you had me _mildly _concerned."

…

The End!

…

I hope you liked! Please review! I know Draco was a bit OOC, Hermione too probably. But I tried to get a bit of their characters in there at the end, with Hermione taking control of the situation and kissing Draco and then Draco's smirking…

Merry Christmas... Three days late!


End file.
